Process for making metal fabric.



J. F. GOLDING.

PROCESS FOR MAKING METAL FABRIC.

APPLICATION FILED JA1{.29,1912. LQQQ QQS Patented M31124, 1914.

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PROCESS FOE-MAKING METAL FABRIC}.

0,0 222 V m z k m APPLICATION FILED $1111.29, 1912.

fl PATENT UWMJE.

PROCESS FOR MAKING METAL FABRIC.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 2d, 1914.

Application filed January 29, 1912. Serial N 0. 674,134.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN F. GoLmNe, a citizen of the'United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Impro\-'ements in Processes for Making Metal Fabric, of which the following is a specification.

My improvements relate to the manufacture of trussed metal from an integral sheet or plate, so as to produce metal strips or metal fabrics at a distance from each other and united by inclined or diagonal truss members, all integral with each other. This result is attained by a certain process of manufacture, which I Will proceed to describe in connection with suitable instrumentalities for carrying out such process.

The product of the process and the manner of and suitable means for working the latter are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, but it is to be understood'that m invention is not confined to all of the details illustrated and described.

In the said drawings :Figure 1 is a plan view of a sheet or plate of metal having indicated thereon by full and dotted lines the slits which are made therein in the working of the said process. section on line 11-11 of Fig. 1 with the sheet completely formed according to the said process. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the completed fabric, {inverted as compared with Fig. 2. Fig. 4 1s a sectional view showing a portion of a cutting mechanisin, and the metal sheet to be operated upon, for making the first set of slits, with the uppercutting devices'raised. Fig. 5 is a siinilar view showing the cutters brought together to operate upon the metal sheet. Fig. 6 is a sectional view of another mechanism, shown as ready to operate upon the sheet which has been slitted with the first set of slits, to cut the second set of slits, stretch the diagonal members and complete the fabric. Fig. 7 is a similar view Wlth the parts of the machine brought together and the operation completed. Figs. 8 and 9 are similar views of a cutting and stretchmg mechanism adapted to first cut the first set of slits, and then to cut the second set of slits and simultaneously stretch and form the fabric. Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a portion of one of the upper cutting, stretching and fabric forming bars. Fig. 11 is a side view of a portion of said bar, showand are consequently not of Fig. 2 is a longitudinal ing the metal in section, the cutting and orming operation being about half completed. Fig. 12 is a side view of a portion of one of the cutter bars which form the first set of slits. Fig. 13 is a side View of a )Ol'f-lOll of one of the presser bars.

Referring to the drawings l is a sheet of wrought metal to the shaping of which the process is to be applied. In the instance illustrated the sheet is relatively thin and of uniform thickness but the same process can be applied to thicker metal, say one-quarter of an inch thick, or to wrought metal plates which are ribbed in the direction of the slits uniform thickness. The metal operated upon is to have suitable softness and ductility, such as a low carbon or mild steel of good quality.

In operating upon the plate l according to the process I first cut therein one or more series of slits 2 arranged as indicated in Fig. l in pairs, leaving uncut portions or bonds 3 between the ends of one pair of slits and the ends of the next pair. This operation partially cuts out along the slits 2, certain strips or strands 4 of the metal which are to become what may be termed the chords of one surface or side of the finished fabric or sheet. I then cut in the sheet other pairs of slits 5 arranged as shown in F ig; 1 in dotted lines, at the outer sides of the pairs of slits 2 and opposite to the bonds 3. Be tween the ends of the slits 5 are left bonds 6. The sheet is thus formed with several series of partly separated but connected strips or strands of metal in addition to the strips 4; namely strands 7 next to the slits 2 and bonds 3, and strands 8 at the outer sides of the strands 7 and slits 5. As and while the slits 5 are being cut the strands 7 and bonds 3 are depressed or forced out of the original plane of the sheet 1 and toward the other plane or side of the sheet which the completed product is to have. This is permitted by reason of the slits 2 preliminarily produced, which leave the contiguous parts of the metal free to be cut, and simultaneously stretched and formed. The strands 8 and bonds 6 are left in the first plane, the strands .4 and bonds 3 are forced into the second plane of the sheet and the strands 7, between the bonds 3 and the bonds 6; become inclined, diagonal or truss members rigidly uniting and spacing apart the two surfaces of the finished fabric or product. 'The strands at become the chords of the second plane of the sheet. In Fig. 2 the fabric is shown with the strands or chords 8 uppermost. In Fig. 3 the fabric is the other side up with the strands or chords 4 uppermost. In the above described forcing or forming operation the two parts of each strand 7 are stretched sufficiently to accommodate the longer path in which they must extend, and so as to leave the chord strands 4 and 8 flat and in their respective plane s. I may corrugate some or all of the strands of the fabric, as indicated in Figs. 4 and 5'with respect to the chord strands, to give them greater stiffness, and also to narrow them somewhat -to facilitate the disengagement of the cutting and forming devices.

It will be understood that the sheet or plate may be formed with many more strands than are, illustrated, both in width and in length, only sufficient pf the plate and fabric being shown to' make the process clearly known. in the size of what may be termed the mesh of the fabric, from lathing mesh up to a large mesh in a thick plate to be used for concrete reinforcement. The fabric is well adapted for partitions and also for slab reinforcement in concrete work. p

A suitable instrumentality for forming the first series of slits 2 is shown in Figs. 4 and 5, in which 9, 9 indicate lower cutters having upwardly projecting cutting-edges 10 above which is placed the metal plate 1. 11 isan upper cutter which cooperates with 'the cutters 9 to produce the first set of slits 2. Itwill be understood that the cutter bust) and 11 are as long as the length of the fabric, which may be in process of manufacture. In Fig. 12 is shown a (portion of one of the cutter bars 10 viewe from its inner side. At 12 are shown presser bars backed by springs 13, which cooperate with bars 14 to hold the plate while the slits 2' are cut. 1 The parts 12 and Hand also the cutter 11 and an opposing bar or die 15, are or may be formed with projections 16 and recesses 17 to corru ate certain strands of the fabric. A suitaIfle pressure device 18, (Fig; 13) may force downward the parts 11 and 12 and as the cutter 11 finishes its stroke the springs 13 will be compressed into their recesses 19 (Fig. 13) and the pressure device 18 will act directly on the tops of the bars 12 and form the said corrugations in the strands if they are desired.

The slits 2 having been produced by the means shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the sheet 1 is removed and inserted in proper position in the machine indicated in Figs. 6 and 7, as shown in Fig. 6. In this machine lower stationary cutters are shown at 20 having cutting edges 21. With these cutters 'cooperate upper cutters 22 having inclined cuttin edges 23 adapted to shear along the inner aces of the cutters 20 and produce the as the length of the There may be great variety ing metal fabric,

In Fig. 11 is seen one of the cutters 22 in the act of cuttinga slit 5. The bottom of each cutter 22 is blunt and flat as shown at 24 and rests on the strand 7 at the bond 3. As the slit 5 is made the metal of the strand 7 is stretched and elongated by the downward pressure of the cutter 22, and this is done gradually slit '5 increases and as more and more metal is sheared off to form the strand 7. All of the strands 7 in the second set of slits 5.

.whole sheet are thus being sheared olf,

stretched and formed at the same time. The chords 4 and 8 of the two surfaces of the fabric are left unaffected, being neither stretched nor contracted but left flat, each in its own surface plane. The chords 8 remain resting on the cutters 20 and the chords 4 are carried down along with the bonds 8 (Fig. 7 by the bottom face of the bar 11.

In Figs. 8 and 9 are shown a machine in which the cutting of the slits 2 is first performed by the same or similar devices which have been described in Figs. 4 and 5. Then the lower cutters 9 and bar 15 recede (Fig. 9) leaving the parts in position to perform' the second slitting operation and the simultaneous stretchin of the strands 7, as described in connection with Figs. 6 and 7. The machine of Figs. 8 and 9 has the functions of both of the machines shown ,in Figs. 4 and 5 and Figs. 6 and 7.

It will be seen that the article or fabric produced by the process described comprises a series of strands 8 parallel with each other and in the same plane-they being marginal strands in that embodiment of my invention illustrated in Fig. 3and a set or series of strands 4 intermediate between the strands 8 and located in a plane different from that in which are the strands 8. It will also be observed that the parallel strands 8 maintain the same relations, with reference to each other, throughout the entire process, that is to say, they are not sep arated from or moved toward each other.

What I claim is 1. The herein described process of makwhich consists in first forming slits in a metal sheet or plate which partly cut out and free the opposite edges of intermediate chord strands for one side of the fabric, and then utting other slits at the sides of but alternarng with the first mentioned slits to form diagonal trussing strands, and chord strands located at the sides of the said intermediate chord strands for the other side of the fabric, and simultaneously stretching the diagonal strands relative to the chord strands, thus separating the chord strands of the metalinto two planes at a distance from each other at op posite sides of the fabric.

2. The herein described process of making metal fabric, which consists in first strands of one surface of the fabric, formforming slits in a metal sheet or plate which ing in the bar other slits parallel with the partly cut out and free the edges of the edges of the bar and alternating with the chord strands for one side of the fabric, and slits which form the aforesaid intermediate then cutting other slits at the sides of but strands, and thus partially cutting out par'aL alternating with the first mentioned slits to lel strands which become the chord strands form diagonal trussing strands and chord for the other surface. of the fabric and are strands for the other side of the fabric and arranged laterally on opposite sides of the simultaneously stretching the diagonal said intermediate strands and in staggered strands relative to the chord strands, thus relation thereto, and then separating the separating the chord strands of the metal said intermediate and parallel strands from into two planes at a distance from each each other and simultaneously stretching the other at opposite sides of the fabric, and metal uniting them, which form diagonal corrugating and narrowing certain of the connecting strands between the chord strands during the said process. strands.

3. The herein described process of mak- In testimony whereof I afiix my signature inlg rfietal fabric fii om a single bar of metal in presence of two witnesses. w ic consists 'n ormin a series of airs of slits in the ibar, leavi i ig uncut portions JOHN GOLDING' between the ends of one pair of slits and Witnesses: the ends of the next pair, thus partially H. N. Low, cutting out strands which become the chord N. CURTIs LAMMOND. 

